Newton's Cradle demonstrates the principle of conservation of energy and momentum. When one ball at the end is lifted and released, it swings down and hits the first ball. The impact of the first ball is transferred through the intermediate balls to the last ball, causing it to swing up. This back and forth motion continues until the energy is dissipated through friction.
Simple Harmonic Motion is a type of periodic motion where the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position and acts in the opposite direction. This results in a sinusoidal or back and forth motion around the equilibrium point.
The motion of Newton's Cradle is affected by factors such as the mass of the balls, the elasticity of the strings, and the angle at which the balls are released. The length of the strings also plays a role in determining the period of the motion.
The number of balls in Newton's Cradle does not affect the period of the motion. The period is solely determined by the length of the strings and the gravitational force acting on the balls.
Simple Harmonic Motion can be observed in many natural phenomena, such as the motion of a pendulum, the vibration of a guitar string, and the motion of a swing. It also has practical applications in devices such as clocks, seismometers, and shock absorbers.